Something New
by Bm89
Summary: Tuckson; by request. Date night at a rooftop bar. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Another request… my prompt here was "date night at a rooftop bar" and it became...** _ **this.**_ **And, my God, was this a labor of love. :) Ask JennBenson, who once again, was a fantabulous sounding board.**

 **Keep those requests coming.**

 **I won't bore you any more. Let's get to it, shall we?**

 **##**

Olivia steps off the elevator on the 15th floor, smiling politely and murmuring _excuse me_ as she squeezes past a gaggle of younger women huddled outside the entrance to the bar.

Making her way into the main atrium, her eyebrows lift in mild surprise. It's not packed; sweaty people wearing too much cologne aren't jostling their way through the crowd, shouting over music that's just a little too loud. It's actually kind of…quiet. She can hear soothing, instrumental tones coming from speakers that she can't place, and there's more foliage up here than she's used to seeing outside of one of the parks.

If it weren't for the signage before she walked in, she would wonder if she was in the right place; the atmosphere here so far removed from the places she was used to meeting him.

Gripping her clutch tightly, she casually makes her way further in, brown eyes scanning the bar, figuring it won't be hard to spot her date's silver hair amidst the small crowd of what appear to be mostly 30-somethings.

Not finding him, she turns. There are a lot of small tables, loveseats, oversized ottomans and the like scattered under the glass ceiling of the atrium, and she wonders if maybe he's already gotten a drink, settled in somewhere to wait for her…

But then she spots him and she swallows appreciatively as her mouth runs dry. He's leaning up against the railing on the terrace opposite her, braced against it by his forearms, which are exposed thanks to the sleeves he's rolled up on his coral Oxford shirt. The material of his shirt is thin, the temperature in the city only just starting to reflect a shift from summer to fall, and she can see the muscles in his back as it stretches across his shoulders.

Her hands have been on those shoulders; she's felt the muscles rippling beneath her fingertips.

He's traded in the usual suit pants for charcoal slacks, and as good as he looks in the suits he wears everyday, she's thoroughly enjoying the step he's taken outside the box tonight.

Olivia's eyes make their way back up his body as she begins to move purposefully toward him, a little extra swing in her hips, a predator who has found her prey.

He chooses that exact moment to turn around.

##

Blue eyes connect instantly with brown, and he feels himself smirk slightly before his jaw drops as his eyes take her in completely.

She is sex on heels.

The ivory blouse she's wearing plays in perfect contrast to her tanned, olive complexion, baring just enough of her cleavage to be flirty without being distasteful. The material flows against her skin in the slight breeze wafting through the air as she stalks toward him, black pants clinging to her curves, stopping just above the ankle to highlight royal blue heels.

She's pulled out all the stops tonight.

With every step she takes toward him, she feels a little more exposed, bare under the heat of his gaze.

As his eyes drift back to her face, her head ducks down slightly and he sees a knowing smirk curve her lips. She knows exactly what she's doing to him, but she's never been one to easily accept compliments, and he's paying her the biggest one of all with the look in his eyes right now. Appreciation. Adoration. Lust.

Finally, they're close enough to where she can reach out and touch him, and she does, grasping his forearm as he extends his right arm to her, both leaning in for a chaste, but lingering, kiss.

They separate, and she wipes the smudges of her light pink lip gloss off the side of his mouth with her right thumb, while the other traces the edge of the cuffed sleeve on the forearm she still grips.

"I love this color on you," she smiles. She would swear there wasn't a color on the spectrum that didn't make his eyes pop, and this one was no different, the effect even more staggering now that she was close to him.

"Thanks," he smiles at her, his expression is cocky, earning a playful head shake from her, but he quickly turns more serious as he turns her compliment around on her. "You look gorgeous."

A rogue strand of hair blows into her face, giving her the perfect opportunity to brush it behind her ear and deflect his comment, but she smiles almost reticently in acknowledgement. "Have you been here long?"

Ed shakes his head, leaning back against the railing as he meets her eyes again. "Just a few minutes." He lowers the arm that she still has in her grasp, and naturally, their fingers find a home between one another's. He tugs gently against them. "Get you a drink?"

She nods as he pushes off the railing and backs toward the bar, asking if she feels like wine or bourbon. "Bourbon," she tells him with a smile, her fingers still lightly gripping his. She doesn't need to add _on the rocks._ He knows.

He doesn't let go of her hand until he absolutely has to.

##

He returns from the bar with their drinks and she turns so her back is against the railing; smiling her thanks as she reaches for the glass of bourbon he hands her.

This place is a definite step above where they usually end up on their dates, the selection obviously more deliberate on his part, rather than the impromptu requests to meet up for drinks after work. The bar itself, inside the atrium, is dimly lit, but it's not dingy. The vibe is more…romantic. Soft.

She leans into him flirtatiously. "Tucker," she starts, her voice low. "You've already seen me naked. You don't need to keep wooing me."

Ed blushes, and he laughs breathily into his own drink as he surveys the landscape in front of them for a moment before turning to face her again, her brown eyes a piercing shade of caramel in the light of the setting sun. "See, that's where you're wrong…"

"You _haven't_ seen me naked?" She raises her eyebrow to tease him. "I could swear that was you..."

He shakes his head with a laugh. "Such a smartass," he quips. "Some things never change." Early on, he may not have been so bold as to joke with her like this, but they're settling into a comfortable banter; both confident enough in who they are and how they feel to joke about the darker elements of their shared history.

"Some things do," she challenges delicately, a smile in her eyes, tipping her glass to him in a silent acknowledgement of where they are, what this is, and…what it's becoming. It's been building for months, moving slowly as they relearn each other, embrace the new, redraw the lines that had been in play for over a decade.

Ed's gaze is intense on her and she deflects under his scrutiny, lifting her glass to her lips for a healthy sip.

"Touché," he says, smirking. "But what I meant was… a woman like you should always be wooed."

Her eyes meet his and, not for the first time since their relationship started evolving, she is thrown by his intensity. She doesn't quite know what to make of it yet, but there's a connection between them that is almost frightening; the air between them always feeling so…charged, electric.

She continues the teasing tone, despite the tension that's building between them. "And how'd you find this place?"

Ed shifts his feet, a smile gracing his lips and her stomach does a flip. She's seen him smile more in the last few months than she has the last 15 years; the sight of it is still new enough to make her breath catch in her throat.

"I think I'm offended by your tone, Lieutenant." He puts a hand to his chest in mock affront. "What if this was one of my haunts?"

Olivia lifts an eyebrow, lips curving into a half-smile as she takes in the white lights strung along the terrace, the wicker love seats with pastel cushions, lounge chairs book-ended by planters giant enough to bury a body in, the hammocks…

"Is it, now?" Her tone is disbelieving.

He looks at her seriously for a moment before a grin cracks his composure. "No, it's not. But," he lets the back of his hand brush against her upper arm and she can't suppress a shiver at this unexpected, yet deliciously intimate touch, "you deserve something classier than the dive bars we end up in all the time," he shrugs. "I overheard one of the kids talking about taking his girlfriend here; thought we'd give it a shot." He squares his shoulders, looking at her confidently. "Try something new."

Olivia bites her lip through a smile, clinking her glass against his to toast. "To trying something new."

He doesn't miss the double meaning, and he's pretty sure his heart just skipped a beat.

"It doesn't seem that crowded," Ed observes, craning his head around some of the larger decorations. "Wanna go find somewhere to sit for a while?"

"Sure." They walk side-by-side, shoulders bumping every few steps, in no real hurry. She can feel him watching her as she takes it all in, the view of the city from up here, the other patrons.

There's no question this place draws a younger crowd, but she doesn't feel uncomfortable or out of place. She feels right at home here, with him.

They stumble upon an empty loveseat off in a corner, and Ed shoots her an inquisitive look. "This alright?"

"Perfect," she says. She sits down, folding her right leg underneath her and angling her body so she's facing him when he sits beside her.

They sip their drinks quietly, neither worried about a lull in conversation because they both know there's a lot to be said in silence sometimes. Her eyes are all over the place, taking in the scenery; looking out toward the skyline, buildings lit up against the backdrop of a fiery sunset sky. The altitude creates a light breeze, and unlike the street-level, it bears no traces of the garbage on the city streets. She can hear life moving at the typical New York City-speed 15 floors below, but up here, reality is suspended, even if temporarily. It's hard not to feel a sense of peace.

"This was a good choice, Ed," she concludes, smiling almost shyly up at him. "It's beautiful up here."

" _You're_ beautiful," he rasps quickly, his eyes never wavering from hers. She can tell even before he makes a move toward her that he's going to kiss her and she licks her lips reflexively in anticipation.

His eyes dart from hers down to her lips, and he reaches a hand to her face, pushing an errant strand of hair behind her ear before letting his hand reach for the back of her neck, pulling her into him.

Olivia's eyes are open and fixed on his, watching him as he stares at her mouth, before she finally lets her lids drift shut at the first whisper of his breath against her lips. The first touch is light; so much so she's not sure he's actually made contact. But then she feels his grip tighten against the back of her neck and she leans a little bit further into him of her own volition, wanting more.

His lips wrap around her plump lower one, still shiny from the gloss she'd applied before they met up. He suckles lightly before releasing it with a pop and pulling back far enough that she opens her eyes lazily, instantly connecting with his.

She licks her lips again and can't tell if the bourbon she tastes on them is from her drink or his, or perhaps some luscious combination of them both. Her mouth settles into a smirk and she lifts a hand to his nape, their positions mirror images of each other as she leans in to press a more passionate kiss to his lips.

They are still finding their way in this relationship; still learning how to _be_ around each other, how much affection is too much, how far is too far? And while they've kissed a lot, and touched some, nearly had sex on a few occasions that were thwarted by work (both his and hers) and her son, she finds that the novelty of his mouth on hers is far from wearing off. He evokes something in her, something she hasn't yet been able to pin down, but she knows it makes her feel more alive than she can remember feeling with any other guy.

But then again…by now, she knows that Tucker is not just any other guy.

##

They people-watch, making light, hushed conversation between sips of bourbon and stolen kisses. She feels…lighter, somehow. With him, she can shed everything else; give the darkness a little less space to occupy in her brain. Unwittingly, he helps her quiet her mind and let it all go.

"How's Noah?" He asks her about him often when they're alone like this; partially because he has grown to care deeply for her son, and partially because he's discovered over time that nothing makes her light up as brightly or vividly as when she is talking about him.

Olivia is beautiful, devastatingly so. But motherhood was clearly her best light; her warmest color.

"He's fantastic." She beams at him and it's infectious. He literally has no choice but to smile back at her, lacing his fingers with hers when she reaches her hand out into the neutral space between them. "He was asking about you earlier," she shares.

"Yeah?"

She nods, raising the pitch of her voice to mimic Noah's. " _When Tuck come to play again_?"

Ed lifts their joined hands briefly before lowering them down to the cushion again. "He's a cutie," he says softly. He looks up at her somewhat cautiously. "Whaddaya say we do something tomorrow, the three of us?"

"He'd love that." She smiles warmly, thankful that he still asks before inserting himself in her weekend plans. As invested as she is in them, in where they're headed, she's still protective of her time with Noah, and Ed has done nothing but respect that since the second the dynamic of their relationship started shifting.

Before Tucker became _Ed,_ life had a tendency to be enough of a juggling act between her work and caring for Noah. It hadn't been easy finding a place for someone new in that delicate balance; but it's worth it to her. Ed is worth it to her. And if she's being honest, he helps her manage it all better.

She brings her glass to her lips for a sip and eyes him coyly over the rim. "So would I."

His eyes darken a shade at her admission and he turns his gaze to hear nearly empty glass. "Refill?"

She quirks an eyebrow at him, "Why not…?"

##

Ed gets up to get their second round and she stands making her way around the back of the loveseat they were sitting on and nestling herself into the corner of the railing behind it, overlooking W 58th below. She hears the horns from the traffic, watches the pedestrians as they make their way down the sidewalks.

The sun was nearly down and dusk was settling over the city like a warm blanket, cloaked in softness.

He finds her in the corner when he returns a few moments later, announcing his presence with a soft _hey_ behind her so he wouldn't startle her. He's sensitive to things like that, automatically, and she's grateful.

"Thanks," she says, taking the glass from him and raising it to her lips.

She doesn't move from her niche, leaned into the corner, and he settles to her right, his back to the railing. Rather than training his eyes on the view she's soaking in, his gaze is fixed on her. In the light of the sunset, looking at her in profile he's blown away by her beauty.

She's got a few years on a lot of the girls in here tonight – this place obviously caters to a younger crowd – and, yeah, he might be biased…but hell if she doesn't put them all to shame. It's not even just that she's gorgeous; but to cap that off she oozes this quiet confidence that's unlike anything he's ever seen.

"This is a great spot," she murmurs, glancing at him and narrowing her eyes playfully when she notices he's already looking at her. "Whatcha lookin' at, Tucker?"

Most of the time, she calls him _Ed_. But every once in a while, usually when she's teasing or flirting with him, she'll whip out the 'Tucker' again. It's a different connotation than he's used to, and he loves it.

Grinning lazily, he shifts, leaning into her so his chest is millimeters from her back. He puts a calming hand on her hip, wanting to be closer to her but not wanting to make her feel caged in. "Just takin' in the view," he says innocently, and he smiles at her scoff of disbelief.

"You think you're so smooth," she drawls.

He can't see it, but somehow he just knows she's rolling her eyes.

He doesn't know it yet, but she's putty in his hands.

##

Ed drains the remaining liquid from his glass and eyes hers. Her wrist is rotating, the ice in the glass swirling amidst watered down bourbon, and they're both entranced by the movement for a moment before be smiles, forcing his eyes up to her face. "Feel like one more?"

She takes a breath and lets it out slowly, checking the time on her phone. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she debates. It's getting late; they really should call it a night. But, in a not-so-shocking turn of events given the last few months, she's not quite ready for the night to end.

"I should really get back to relieve Lucy," she explains, and she smiles when she sees disappointment flash in his eyes briefly before he can hide it from her. "But do you want to come back with me? I have wine."

His face brightens as he nods, standing up before offering his hand to help her to her feet. He is almost…shy; and surprisingly gallant, gentlemanly. Not quite what she expected of him, but she's enjoying this new side. She sees a little bit more of it the more they get to know each other.

The streets are crowded, and as they leave the hotel, he gestures in front of him for her to lead the way. In a move that still surprises him, she reaches for his left hand with her right, intertwining their fingers. She starts out into the throngs of people that crowd W 58th street, weaving between groups of pedestrians, her grip tight on his hand so they don't get separated.

As they approach 10th avenue, she bends her elbow, holding their joined hands against the small of her back as they wait for the light to change. The gesture means that he's standing literally pressed up against her side, and as people move about on the corner, bumping into them to get through and around the crowd, they are repeatedly jostled into each other. Their eyes meet, and they both smile before he consciously moves a little bit closer; it's a protective gesture, one she doesn't miss. He's trying to shield her.

She leans up determinedly, her lips landing in a sloppy kiss on his chin. Here, now, it's the best she can do. But when they get back to her place, she wants nothing more than to melt into him...

##

 **A/N: Show of hands ( & reviews), who wants to see what happens next? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ahhh, the conclusion to Tuckson's enchanted evening…**

 **If you're into listening to music while you read, I highly recommend Celine Dion's "Power of Love" and David Gray's "This Year's Love" – wore them both out while writing this…**

 **Special thanks as always to JennBenson for her input. Many an uncomfortable workday hashing this one out… :)**

 **Forgive any errors. Enjoy…**

 **##**

When they arrive back at her apartment, he says hello to Lucy, thanking her for watching Noah for them before he makes himself comfortable on the couch while she updates Olivia.

Moments later, after Olivia locks the door behind the young woman and turns to head back to check on Noah herself, she squeezes his shoulder as she passes and smiles at him. "Let me go look in on him real quick," she says. "I'll just be a second."

He waves his hand. "Take your time."

When she returns, he notices that she's ditched the heels. A small part of him is vaguely disappointed – he liked the bright blue on her; but a more significant portion of him doesn't mind at all, because it means that before his eyes, she's transforming into a version of Olivia Benson that few other than he have been allowed to see. The significance of that is not lost on him; he doesn't take it for granted.

She glances up at him as she pours two generous glasses of wine. "You're staring," she observes with a smirk.

He grins, his face reddening, but he won't even try to deny it. "Sorry," he shrugs.

"Don't be." She winks. It makes her feel sexy when he can't take his eyes off of her like that. Like she could be wearing burlap sack and it would ignite just from the fire in his eyes when he looked at her.

Olivia shuts off the overhead light in the kitchen so only the under-cabinet lighting remains, in addition to the small tabletop lamp in the living room. Together, they emulate the softer ambiance of the rooftop bar.

Moving into the living room, she passes him his glass of wine over the back of the couch and presses a few buttons on a remote to get some music going in the background before settling into the couch next to him.

"We should go back to that place sometime."

She curls her legs underneath her, careful not to slosh her wine as she settles into the cushions.

"It was nice, huh?"

"Mm," she hums around a sip of wine, nodding as she shifts a little closer to him. "The view was beautiful up there." Her voice is wistful, and he watches her, captivated as she picks at a piece of lint on the thigh of her pants. She looks up at him through her eyelashes, a soft smile on her lips. "Kinda reminded me why I love this city. It's easy to forget sometimes."

"There's plenty of reasons to love it," he reasons. He takes a sip of wine before gently resting the glass on the coffee table, letting his right arm drape along the back of the couch. "And plenty to _not_ love it," he adds.

"You've helped me see so many more reasons to love so many different things," she says. She's talking about him, about their relationship. But she's also talking about herself.

He smiles; he knows that she doesn't need a response from him. She puts her wine glass on the table next to his and then she's reaching for him, her hand landing on the side of his neck. Her thumb brushes softly against his ear, and he shivers, suddenly transported back in time, to the _almosts_.

She leans toward him, eyes volleying back and forth between his before flitting briefly down to his lips.

Electricity is buzzing between them and he waits, barely breathing, as her mouth inches toward his, moving impossibly slow until finally, he feels her lips against his. Her kiss is soft, tentative; her lips moving gently over his as her thumb continues to lightly stroke his ear.

Olivia pulls back with a coy smile and he gazes at her benevolently, reaching a hand up behind her head. His fingers grip the clip that secures the top section of her hair. He releases it, letting it fall to the couch behind her, rapt as the loose waves fall to frame her face. He moves to brush the soft brown hair out of her face and she leans into his touch, looking at him through heavy-lidded eyes as he threads his fingers through her hair until his hand is cradling the back of her head.

His eyes darken as he immerses himself in this moment with her, and he pulls her to him, gently, capturing her lips in a kiss that is decidedly more intense than the one she initiated. Her hand remains on the side of his neck, gripping him as she pushes herself up on a knee, needing leverage to match the fervor of his kiss.

Ed tears his lips from hers with a wet smack. The sound of their labored breathing fills the room as his mouth migrates down to her neck, planting open-mouthed kisses along the column of her throat. He breathes her in, her scent overwhelming him until his brain can only conjure up thoughts of her.

Her skin tingles under his lips as he moves from her neck to her collarbone and she sighs, her free hand dipping beneath his collar at the back of his neck. She needs to feel him. He's kissing her chest, and when his tongue finds the dip in her cleavage, she moves her hand from the back of his neck to the side, opposite her other hand, pulling his lips back up to hers for a deep, powerful kiss. It catches him off guard and his free hand goes to her hip to steady them both.

Olivia opens her mouth to his searching tongue. He tastes like a combination of wine, bourbon, and _Ed_ , and she doesn't try to fight the moan that rips from the back of her throat as he fills her senses. She swirls her tongue around his in a thorough, sensual exploration of his mouth and he reclines slightly against the arm of her couch, dragging her with him. She has both hands occupied holding him to her, so she has no means to support herself, and their kiss breaks with breathless chuckles when she falls into him.

She's pressed against him, one of his hands still tangled in her hair, and she slides a hand from his neck, along his strong jaw, feeling the prickle of stubble erupting on the skin beneath her fingers. She runs her thumb under his lip as his eyes bore into hers, stomachs churning with lust and desire, both panting from the heat of their kisses.

He wants her. He wants to move this to the bedroom. He wants to show her the love he knows she's not ready to hear from him yet. But as they stare into each other's eyes, irises darkening with their arousal, he knows this decision has to be hers.

Her lips quirk in a small, knowing smile and, wordlessly, she's pushing herself off of him, standing beside the couch and reaching a hand out to help him up.

He feels the excitement build in him as she guides him to her bedroom, almost unable to accept that this is really happening. The door clicks shut behind him and she turns to him, bathed in the soft light from her bedside lamp. He sees in her smile, in her eyes, that trepidation is starting to seep in, melding with the anticipation and arousal they both feel.

They've been here before. She _almost_ knows what it feels like to be with him.

Somehow, they both know this time isn't going to be an _almost._

It's going to happen. No interruptions. Just them.

She takes a steadying breath, locking eyes with him as she crosses her arms over her torso and pulls the ivory blouse over her head, revealing her tan midsection and heaving chest. Her breasts are hidden from his view by a silk bra that he notices is a perfect match to the royal blue of the heels she was wearing earlier.

His eyes are wide, mouth dry, as she drops the blouse to the floor, determinedly stepping over it to get to him. "Jesus, Liv," he rasps.

A smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth as she steps into him until they're chest to chest and she fingers the lapel of his coral shirt before she starts undoing buttons. "I love this shirt," she breathes against him, her lips catching his chin. "But I want it off."

His hands ache to touch her, and when she feels the warmth of them on her newly exposed skin, she can't help the shudder that runs through her.

She's still fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, her fingers quaking from a combination of nerves and anticipation, when he lowers his mouth to her neck, attacking her skin with soft kisses, travelling down the curve of her shoulder before sliding her bra strap out of the way.

His hands have to come off of her when she finally slides his shirt down his arms, and when he gets the use of them back, he's unbuttoning her pants, moving her so she's sitting on the edge of the bed when he slides them off her legs, revealing the matching panties to her silk bra.

He is standing shirtless before her and their eyes lock. One of his hands comes up to stroke her cheek as she reaches for his belt, pulling the leather from the buckle. Shallow breaths are all his lungs allow as she removes the belt, undoing the button and zipper of his pants before the material drops easily down his legs.

She gets ambitious, greedy, reaching for his boxers, too, but he stops her with a hand on her wrist, shaking his head with a smirk as he guides her to scoot back on the bed. His voice is gravelly, and it sends a jolt all the way to her core when he whispers, "Not yet."

Ed puts his hand on her bare thigh, just above her knee, and it glides smoothly up her body as he crawls over her.

Olivia watches him, her body keyed up in anticipation of what's about to happen, and she feels goose bumps erupt on her skin everywhere his hands have been. Her breathing is labored and she has never been this worked up from so little.

He's braced above her on one hand, running the fingers of his other hand through her hair as he leans down and kisses her. One, two brief kisses before she's tilting her head and deepening it for him, whimpering as she ravages his mouth with her tongue. He runs his hand from her hair down her neck before sliding it between her breasts and reaching underneath her to undo the clasp on her bra, smiling against her mouth when she arches her body anxiously to give him more room. Together, they remove the garment and she gasps when his lips close around her nipple, sucking gently.

His eyes lift to meet hers and even with his mouth occupied, she can tell he's smug that he can provoke such a reaction from her.

She smirks at him, her head pushing deeper into the pillow when he nips at her skin before moving to her other breast and giving it the same attention.

She tastes salty and sweet, the delicious combination of her skin and the body butter she uses, as he trails kisses down her stomach. Circling his tongue around her bellybutton, he chuckles against her when the sensation makes her jolt and she smiles down at him, running a hand through the hair on the top of his head. "Jerk."

He shifts slightly, nestling on his stomach between her legs, resting his chin against the top edge of her panties, the last scrap of material before she is laid bare before him. His eyes travel up the length of her stomach and between her breasts, heaving slightly in anticipation of his next move, before meeting her eyes, almost black with arousal.

He stills and she squirms underneath him, anxious for him to touch her, to do _something._

"You're beautiful," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion, reverence.

He trails his fingers lightly in a figure-eight pattern across her stomach and she throws her free hand into her hair. She's almost to her breaking point, not used to the affections he's showering her with. No one has ever taken their time with her like this. He's making this about her, about treasuring her.

Ed is making her feel _loved._

"Please," she begs.

She feels his chin lift from her lower belly and she sighs in relief before she feels his lips teasing kisses along the waistband of the silk panties. She covers his hands where they rest on her stomach, wanting to push them down to where his lips are caressing her skin, to prod him into moving this along, but he doesn't budge, instead shifting so his attentions are fixed lower on her body.

He can feel her squirming; can hear her soft whimpers of equal parts arousal and frustration as he tantalizes her mercilessly, letting his lips softly graze the skin of her inner thighs, venturing close to the edge of her panties before redirecting again. A quick glance up her body reveals her chest rising and falling rapidly against the arousal he's sending through her, her hands alternating between gripping the sheets and squeezing her own breasts, looking for something, anything to quell the ache that's building between her legs. When he slides his hands down over her stomach to her hips, she groans, thinking that finally, the panties are coming off, but instead, he moves to a kneeling position, letting his hands caress her upper thighs as he pulls away from her slightly.

Unable to take anymore teasing, Olivia rises quickly to her knees, pushing him to his feet before her. Her hands find his hips, and he's breathless, speechless as she leans forward, releasing a moan as her lips slide across his chest.

Olivia hooks her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers, pulling her head back from his chest to meet his eyes. She's sure the desire she sees in his are a mirror image of her own.

"I want to see you," she whispers.

The air has gotten thicker in the room.

This is a pivotal moment; they're seconds from crossing a new line, that much closer to taking their relationship to a whole new level. Tidal waves of anticipation roll off of them both.

His hands find their way to her wrists, and when she feels that he's not pushing her away, not stopping her, she carefully lowers his boxers, breaking their eye contact to look down, her eyes taking in all of him for the very first time.

Her tongue darts out to wet her lips unconsciously as she eyes him, and she doesn't hesitate to reach for him, wrapping a hand around his length as his blaze a trail up her arms to caress her neck and chest.

He's hot in her hand, hard, and she can't wait to feel him inside her, stretching her, filling her.

She moves her hand, stroking him gently, applying just enough pressure to make his head fall back a little on a groan. She keeps going, her lips curving into a smile while she watches him react to her touch.

Retribution.

It seems like mere seconds go by before his breath is coming in short pants and he lowers his head to hers, his hands holding onto her shoulders to steady himself.

"I can't—" he breathes, groaning as his hips buck involuntarily into her touch. "Liv, I need— _God,_ that's…"

She hums in response; enjoying the stuttering, unintelligible mess she's reduced him to.

Before she can react, he pulls her hand off of him, burying his fingers in her hair and angling her head back for a passionate kiss, slanting his lips over hers and invading her mouth with his tongue.

She can feel the heat of his arousal pressed against her stomach as he plunders her mouth, her hands gripping his elbows for leverage before his hands slide down her body to her hips, hooking a finger into her panties before pushing the material down to her knees.

Ed gently nudges her to lie back on the mattress again, giving her space to kick her panties off the rest of the way once she's on her back beneath him.

His eyes are warm and filled with desire for her as he crawls over her body once again; this time there are no barriers between them. For the first time, they are skin-on-skin.

She whimpers when she feels his mouth at her ear, licking her earlobe before sucking it between his lips. He rasps, "I want you so much."

Olivia writhes beneath him; her hands wrapped around his shoulders before she rakes her fingers down his back, drawing a shudder from his body. He pulls back from showering kisses on her neck and chest to meet her eyes, and she stares into his blue irises, dark with desire, as her hands settle on the curve of his ass, giving him a gentle squeeze.

His lips lift in a small smile at her bold action and she quirks an eyebrow at him playfully. The move allows them to step outside the intensity for a moment; giving them an opportunity to take a deep breath and remember that this is just…them.

He sees the nerves starting to resurface in her eyes again, and he reaches up to gently brush her hair away from her face. "You okay?"

She bites her lip, her brown eyes darting back and forth between his, and she can feel in his touch, in his gaze, how deeply he cares for her.

How deeply he loves her?

Then, she nods, pulling him into her and leaning up to press her lips to his. "I want you."

Her hips are squirming impatiently beneath him and he reaches a hand between their bodies, lightly running his fingers over the wet, sensitive flesh of her core. Immediately, her back arches and she gasps at the sensation. He smirks at how wet she is, bringing the fingers that touched her up to his lips and licking them clean of her arousal.

It's erotic. And it sends her into overdrive, desperate to have him inside her. "Please," she whimpers, squeezing her thighs around his hips eagerly.

Ed moves to position himself at her entrance, his eyes finding hers, silently seeking confirmation that this is okay, that _she's_ okay before he moves again. At her nod, he settles his tip at her entrance, his jaw clenching at the sensation. He practically gasps her name.

"Olivia…"

He takes a second to get his bearings, adjusting to the feel of her against him, and then he slowly begins to slide in. His eyes don't leave her face as he watches her wince, her body fidgeting under his as she adjusts to take all of him. "Oh, god," she moans.

Her breath comes in sharp pants as he continues to push into her; she moves her hands from his hips to his upper back, digging her fingertips into his flesh as he stretches her.

Then, finally, his hips meet hers and he's buried to the hilt inside her. She sucks in a deep breath, her brown eyes looking up into his as his fingers play with soft tendrils of her hair as it fans over the pillow.

"Ed…" she whispers, running her hands up and down his back. She feels closer to him now, in this moment, than she's ever felt to anyone before.

He adjusts his position over her, bracing himself, as he gets ready to move. "Okay?" he asks, pressing a brief kiss to her lips.

Her hands massage his sides and she nods. "Just give me a minute," she sighs, burying her face into his neck and pressing her lips to the hot skin she finds there, flushed with his arousal. "You feel…so good," she breathes into him, lifting her hips into his slightly.

Olivia trails kisses up his neck, along his jaw, and finally his lips before she reaches for his hips, pulling him impossibly closer to her. He takes her hint, pulling out of her gently before slowly pushing back in; spellbound by the way she throws her head back, shutting her eyes tight at the pleasure that ripples through her. She whimpers a breathless " _yes"_ and he watches her, peppering her face and neck with kisses as he finds a slow, steady rhythm.

She's beautiful; her skin glistening with a light sheen of sweat, head thrown back in the heat of passion as he moves inside her, and he's utterly captivated by her in this moment, amazed that he's been allowed to see her like this, completely vulnerable. He leans his head down, running his nose along her neck, nuzzling her ear.

"You're perfect," he whispers, reaching a hand between them to tenderly massage her breast, heightening her pleasure that much more.

She slides a hand up to palm the back of his head as his lips chart a course along her neck back up to her lips, and she opens her eyes to look into his. She's breathless, intoxicated by the feel of his body against hers as he overwhelms her.

It's never felt like this before.

" _We're_ perfect," she breathes, and then his lips are on hers and she rakes her fingers along his scalp, moaning into his mouth as his tongue touches hers.

His hips maintain their rhythm, and hers are meeting him with every thrust, her hands running all over the slick skin of his back as she tears her mouth from his. She buries her face in his neck to muffle her cries so she doesn't wake her son, sleeping soundly just on the other side of the wall.

He drops his forehead to hers when she lays her head back against the pillow, warm brown eyes nearly black with desire as he pushes her closer and closer to her peak.

Ed closes his eyes briefly, fighting against his imminent release, wanting her to come first. "I'm close," he rasps, and she nods subtly, shifting her legs to open herself up that much more.

He's getting deeper in her now, his pelvis rubbing against her clit with every thrust and she closes her eyes tight, her brow furrowed and her teeth sinking into her lower lip as the flame of arousal swells in her lower belly.

Her breath is quickening and she mewls against the pleasure that is threatening to crest. It won't be long now, and her hands wrap around his upper arms in a vice grip, her fingernails leaving crescent-shaped indents in his skin as her head shifts side to side.

"Olivia," he groans. It's a warning. He needs her to come; needs to feel her inner muscles clench around him. Right now, he needs that almost more than he needs air.

Ed shifts so he's raised up higher over her, his eyes don't leave her face as he moves his hips faster into hers, giving her the increased friction he knows she needs to push her over the edge, and then a moan rips from her throat, and her back arches impossibly high off the bed, her inner walls spasming around him.

" _Oh… God_ ," she pants unevenly, her eyes opening wide and her face registering a look that is almost…shock, at the force of her orgasm.

"Liv…" he gasps. This time it's a question. Her body is still trembling, still riding the waves of her finish, but she knows what he's asking. "Inside," she breathes, and though she wants nothing more than to shut her eyes, she forces herself to keep them open, watching his face intently as he finally gives in to his own climax.

His hips push into hers, hard, once, twice, three times before she feels the warmth of his release inside her, his body jerking spastically against hers.

Ed can no longer support his own weight above her and gingerly lowers himself to his forearms. His forehead rests against hers, and their breaths mix as they pant, recovering from the intensity of what they just did.

Olivia's eyes meet his, and she shifts to rest her hand over his heart, feeling it beat wildly beneath her palm. He pushes sweat-soaked hair away from her face as he looks in her eyes. "Wow," she says. It comes out as a gasp, and she smiles against his lips when he leans in to kiss her gently.

They lay still, wrapped in each other's arms before Ed summons the strength to roll them over so that she's resting against his chest. Their bodies are sticky with sweat, and Ed lightly grazes her back with his fingertips as she listens to his heartbeat, pressing light kisses to his chest as they slowly come down.

Ed reaches a hand into her hair, playing with the loose curls, massaging her scalp. She turns her head, resting her chin against his chest as she looks up at him. He notices the tears pooling on her lower lashes and brushes the back of a finger against her cheek. "Alright?" The question comes out as a croak, and at first, she merely nods, not trusting her own voice.

She clears her throat before she speaks. "I've just…I've never felt so…safe," she explains. _So loved._

In this moment, feeling every inch of her gorgeous body pressed against his, warm brown eyes looking up at him sweetly, Ed feels so connected to her – not just physically, but in every way imaginable; being able to see her like this, touch her, really _feel_ her…

He loves her.

As his fingers lightly touch the skin of her face, he wants to tell her; he almost does…the words on the tip of his tongue. But, at the last second, he changes course, deciding that he's just shown her the depth of his feeling for her, and for now, that's enough.

They stare intently at each other for several long seconds before she lays her head back against his chest, releasing a contented sigh as she basks in the warmth and comfort she finds in his arms.

His heart beating soundly beneath her ear, she closes her eyes. Though the word hasn't been spoken by either of them, the love in this moment with them is tangible. She can feel it just as sure as she feels his skin against hers.

He's it for her, and as she sinks deeper into him, cloaked in his touch, she knows she'll never feel for another like she does for him.

Under her head, his chest reverberates as he speaks into her hair.

"You'll always be safe with me."

##

 **A/N: Well…? What did we think?**


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